Pega Lead System Architect - Associate Director

About the Role

The Pega Lead System Architect (LSA) serves as the primary technical authority responsible for designing, governing, and delivering high-scale enterprise solutions on the Pega platform. This role blends strategic architectural ownership with hands-on technical leadership, ensuring solutions are secure, scalable, performant, and upgrade ready.

As a trusted technical leader, you will bridge business strategy and technical execution, guiding development teams and enforcing best practices to deliver complex automation solutions that drive business value.

• Lead end-to-end technical architecture and solution design for enterprise Pega implementations
• Own architectural decisions and ensure alignment with business and technical requirements
• Enforce Pega Guardrails and best practices to ensure maintainable, upgrade-ready solutions
• Provide technical mentorship, governance, and oversight to development teams
• Design and manage complex integrations with external systems and data sources
• Proactively monitor and optimize application performance using the Pega Diagnostic Center
• Oversee Dev Ops, CI/CD pipelines, and release management activities
• Act as a technical advisor to stakeholders, translating business needs into scalable solutions

We strive to provide flexibility wherever possible. Based on business requirements, this role is open to qualified applicants who can work remotely while being on-site at the client location 3–4 days per week in Hartford, CT or Charlotte, NC
.

Working arrangements are accurate as of the date of posting and may change based on project, client, or business needs. We will always communicate role expectations clearly and support a healthy work-life balance through our wellbeing programs.

• Proven experience in Pega architecture and enterprise solution design
• Strong expertise in:
  • Architecture strategy and technical governance
  • Performance engineering and optimization
  • Agile delivery methodologies
  • Data modeling, security, and case management

• Pega Certified Lead System Architect (CLSA) certification

We welcome individuals who are passionate about technology, leadership, and continuous improvement. Even if you meet only the minimum qualifications, we encourage you to apply and share how your transferable skills and experiences can make an impact.

• Final date to receive applications: March 20, 2026
• Base salary range: $160,000 – $180,000 annually, based on experience and qualifications
• Eligible for Cognizant’s discretionary annual incentive program, subject to plan terms and performance

Cognizant offers a comprehensive benefits package, subject to eligibility requirements, including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• Paid Holidays and Paid Time Off
• 401(k) plan with contributions
• Short-term and Long-term Disability
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Salary, compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the posting date. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.